The Relationship between Social Adversity and Callous-unemotional (CU) Traits in Children: The Moderating Effect of Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) Activity

• In Event: Biosocial Interactive Perspective on Psychopathic Traits and Behavioral Problems in Childhood

Abstract

Psychosocial and neurobiological risk factors have been associated with antisocial and psychopathic behaviors. The current study examined the interaction between social adversity and parasympathetic activity (i.e., RSA, respiratory sinus arrhythmia) in predicting callous-unemotional traits in 254 9-to 11-year-old children. CU traits were assessed by the parent-report Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU), and social adversity was measured by the caregiver’s report on 10 social risk factors. RSA activity was recorded during a 2-min-rest period (baseline RSA) and an emotion regulation paradigm (RSA reactivity) in which children were instructed to either induce or suppress their emotion in response to four 2-min-long film clips. Results showed that higher CU traits were associated with higher social adversity and increased RSA reactivity. In addition, significant interaction effects between social adversity and baseline RSA were observed. Higher social adversity was associated with higher CU traits in children with lower baseline RSA (reflecting poor emotion regulation) but not in those with higher baseline RSA (indicating better emotion regulation). Findings highlight the importance of adopting a biosocial perspective to better understand the etiology of antisocial and psychopathic behaviors.

Authors

• Wei Zhang, Brooklyn College / Graduate Center of the City University of New York

• Yu Gao, Brooklyn College, City University of New York